Transcatheter valve therapies have emerged because of unmet patient needs. Furthermore, TVT has developed at a time when degenerative heart valve diseases of both the mitral and aortic valves are increasing in frequency as the population ages. With the introduction of the first TAVR commercial product, the targeted patient group is the "inoperable" patient who cannot receive the traditional therapy of surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). It is expected that TAVR will subsequently be extended to patients who have high risk with SAVR. The marked reduction of mortality by TAVR in the inoperable patients and the similar mortality of TAVR versus SAVR in the high risk patients provide patients with a new therapy with benefits but also with a different risk profile. Patients and their families will need to make informed decisions regarding the likelihood of having a mortality benefit, of improving their functional class and quality of life, of suffering a complication, and of choosing between different care options and therapeutic approaches.